Center sill.



J. O. NEIKIRK.

CENTER SILL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1910.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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WITHIYLIEBBQS snares PATENT oFFioE.

JOHN 0. NEIKIRK, or CHICAGO, ninmors, ASSIGNOB To iiATIoNn 1am on COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A conrom'rxon or MAINE;

CENTER SILL.

I Specification of Letters Patent. t t 23, 1 15" Application filed April 1, 1910. serial No. 552,849.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN O. NEIKIRK, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Center Sills, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of my invention.

My invention relates to metallic center sills of the underframe of steel cars, and has for its object the provision of a center sill that is adapted to withstand the various strains to which the underframing of arailway car is subject; the improved sill being especially intended to withstand the longitudinal or twisting strains encountered through the collisions or bumps of carends, either in a direction parallel with or at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the sill, as Wlll more fully appear from the following specification.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a car underframe, with my improved sill, Fig. 2 is a cross sectional. view taken on lines of Fig. 1. Fig, is a similar sectional view taken on line of Fig. i, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of my improved center sill. Fig. is a cross-sectional View similar to Fig but showing a modified form,

The invention is shown applied to the steel underfame of a car; the center sill A, in Fig. 1, extending from one end sill B, to the other and being suitably connected with the cross members C and also the gussetplates D.

The center sill A, as illustrated in-the drawing, comprises a vertical web a, which extendsfrom one end sill to the other and is of equal dimensions throughout its length. The upper edge of the center sill is provided with horizontally extending flanges, which consist of angle irons I). These angle irons b are preferably of the same dimensions throughout their length, extending from end to end of web a, and may be secured to the central web a, as well as to each other, by a. single set of rivets; the rivets passing through both of the angle irons and the web as shown in the cross sectional views. The lower edge of the sill is also provided with horizontally extendlng flanges, the edges of which are preferably turned at right angles or in a vertical direction to the center or web portion of the flange, thereby constituting what are known as Z-bars 0. These Z-bars 0, are also shown secured to opposite sides of the web a, and to each other, by a single set of rivets which pass through all three of the members as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The horizontally horizontally is clearly shown in Figs. 1,

2, and 3.

It is apparent from this construction that the sill is capable of withstanding great strains, the horizontally disposed bellied or tapering portion extending throughout the greater part of the sill intermediate of its ends where it would be more likely to buckle or twist through any impact that the ends might encounter; the construction thus practically forming a longitudinally extending column wider at its intermediate points than at its ends and adapted to withstand any strains to which the underframe of the car might be subjected, regardless of the direction of the impact.

The center sill need not necessarily be constructed in every respect as just described, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction hereinbefore set forth, as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention; for example, in Fig. 5 I have shown a modified construction wherein the lower flange is made of the channel irons c',which are preferably inverted as shown. These channel irons 0', like the Z bars 0, are secured to the opposite sides ofthe vertical web a and also to each other by a single set of rivets or other suitable means of fastening. These channel irons 0', like the Z bars 0, are also bellied or bowed intermediate of the ends in a similar manner, and are capable of withstanding any strains to which they might be subjected and which would buckle or twist the ordinarily constructed center sill ldy :onstructing the horizontal flanges,

either in the shape of Z bars or channel irons; that is, with the edges of the flanges at an angle to the web portion thereof or extending vertically, it is evident that the horizontally extending portions of the sill are greatly strengthened against any tendency to twist or buckle; thus reinforcing or adding to the increased strength obtained by a bellied or tapered horizontally-extending flange as herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I .wish to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A center sill, composed of a number of members, the one constituting the web portion while .the others constitute horizontally disposed flange portions at the lower edge of the web portion, the web member and flange members being composed of continuous portions throughout the center sill, with the two flange members gradually tapering toward the ends of the sill.

2. A center sill, comprising a vertical web and horizontally disposed flanges at the lower edges of said web, the weband flanges being composed of separate continuous portions throughout the length of the center sill, the flanges being made tapering toward the ends of the sill, with the edges of the flanges provided with reinforcing portions.

3. A center sill, comprising a vertical web and horizontally disposed flanges at the edges of said web,'the web and flanges being composed of separate continuous portions throughout the length of the center sill, the

flanges at the lower edges of the web tapering towardthe ends of the sill, with the outer edges of the flanges at the lower edges of the web posed edges.

M. E. STOUTENBURGH, W. J. RYAN.

provided with vertically dis 

